Causes of Hand or Wrist Pain

• Muscle Overuse (strained muscles). Repetitive hand and wrist movements at work or in other activities are a common cause. Resting the painful area will help reduce the pain. If possible, avoid the actions that caused the problem. Use of a wrist or hand brace can help limit movement.
• Tendinitis. Inflammation of tendons where they attach to the bone, caused by overuse. This causes tenderness in the area and pain when the limb is moved or used. Often needs a long period of rest from the activity that caused it. A steroid shot may be needed to reduce the pain. Repetitive movements of the thumb tendon often causes pain and swelling at the thumb side of the wrist. Sometimes a creaking feeling can be felt when the thumb is moved.
• Muscle Cramps. Brief pains that last 1 to 15 minutes are often due to muscle cramps. These often happen in the hand after too much writing or typing.
• Trapped Nerves. The nerves in the neck or arm can become trapped or squeezed where they pass through narrow spaces in the arm. This causes pain, numbness or tingling. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on a nerve at the wrist. It causes tingling, pain and weakness in the fingers and hand. If symptoms do not calm down with rest or treatment, surgery may be needed.
• Joint Inflammation. Examples are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and gout. Some may affect just one joint. Others affect multiple joints at the same time. Early treatment may help prevent long-term damage to the joints involved.
  • Osteoarthritis is due to wear and tear on the joints. It can cause pain, stiffness and loss of movement. The small joints of the hands may appear swollen.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the same joint(s) on both sides of the body. So, both hands and wrists may be affected as well as other joints. The knuckle joints are affected, so fingers and hands can become very misshapen.
• Septic Arthritis (serious). This is a bacterial infection of a joint space. Main symptoms are fever and severe pain with movement of the joint. It may not be possible to move the joint at all. This needs care right away.
• Viral Illness. Mild muscle aches and joint pain also occur with many viral illnesses.

Pain Scale

• Mild: you feel some pain, but it does not keep you from any normal activities. Work, activities and sleep are not changed.
• Moderate: the pain keeps you from doing some normal activities. It may wake you up from sleep.
• Severe: the pain is very bad. It keeps you from doing all normal activities.

When to Call for Hand or Wrist Pain

Care Advice

What You Should Know about Mild Hand and Wrist Pain:

• Strained muscles, tendons and ligaments are common after using them too much during activities.
• Examples are typing, writing or table tennis.
• The joints can also become painful due to years of wear and tear.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Pain Medicine:

• To help with the pain, take an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
• Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Ibuprofen works well for this type of pain.
• Use as needed, but do not take more than the maximum recommended dosage as stated on the package.
• If you are not sure what to take, ask a pharmacist.

Remove Any Jewelry:

• Remove any jewelry (rings, bracelets) from your wrist and fingers. They could become too tight if the hand or wrist swells.

Cold Pack for Pain:

• For pain or swelling, use a cold pack. You can also use ice wrapped in a wet cloth.
• Put it on the sore area for 20 minutes.
• Repeat 4 times on the first day, then as needed.
• Reason: helps the pain.
• Caution: avoid frostbite by wrapping the ice pack. Do not put ice directly onto the skin.

Use Heat after 48 Hours:

• If pain lasts more than 2 days, put heat on the sore area.
• Use a heat pack, heating pad or warm wet washcloth.
• Do this for 10 minutes, then as needed.
• Reason: increases blood flow and improves healing.
• Caution: avoid burns by wrapping the heat pack. Do not put it directly onto the skin.

Rest the Hand or Wrist:

• Rest the injured area as much as possible for 48 hours. Keep the fingers moving gently if you can.
• Keep the hand raised on a pillow beside you or held across your chest to help limit swelling.

What to Expect:

• Pain and swelling most often peak on day 2 or 3.
• Swelling should be gone by 7 days.
• Pain may take 2 weeks to fully go away.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Pain becomes severe
• Pain is not getting better after 3 days
• Pain lasts more than 2 weeks
• You think you need to be seen
• Your symptoms get worse

Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.




Powered by Remedy Connect, Denver Content Feed.
See our Disclaimer and Privacy Policy.